Eurobike 2009: Show Daily 3 by carltonreid

FriedrichshaFen, september 3rd, 2009

SHOW day #2

e-norMouS! eyeS on tHe prizeS 05

So many e-bikes, so many ways to test them

Eurobike Awards honor nine companies

puB GruB Say Cheers! to Charge’s pub-styled stand

SraM HaS a Kao 15

Hank Kao is SRAM’s main man in Asia

Haute SHotS See more Fashion Show photos

tHe SoFtSHeLL SoFt SeLL 20

Consumers shell out for softshell apparel

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ˆ 10,000 bike StOleN tueSday The Van Nicholas Astraeus has already proved irresistible at Eurobike - it’s been stolen! Before the doors had been opened - and despite a comprehensive security system - cunning thieves made off with the Dutch company's flagship racer worth over ˆ 10,000.

Content HiGHLiGHtS SHow Day #2 - tHurSDay, Sept. 3rD, 2009 05

red Carpet

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at about 7.00pm on tuesday, in the hustle and bustle of the pre-show set-up, thieves made off with the first Seamless Hydroformed titanium bike on the market. the company thinks theirs was the only bike at the show the thieves felt was worth the risk. van Nicholas says a replacement is on the way from Holland and will be on display today at their stand in hall a1. they added: "if you happen to see a van Nicholas astraeus out on the roads around eurobike - call the police!"

euroBiKe awarDS Honor 9 CoMpanieS

yikes! a Bike!

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it FoLDS, it zooMS, it’S turninG HeaDS -----------------------------------------------------------------

eyeing the uCi

roll your own

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guide tO StaNd NumberS It’s easy to find an exhibitor located in one of the main A or B halls. But where are E1, FGO, FG and ZH? e1 is a mobile hall built mainly for the german derby group in the inner open air ground between halls a5 and b3. e1 divides the open air ground into fg (freigelände = open air ground) (the open air ground west) with mtb and bmX courses as well as exhibitor stands and fgO (freigelände Ost =

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open air ground east). for example, if you are looking for apparel maker Skins you’ll find the stand number fg a7/2 – which means they are located at freigelände West, stand number a7/2. ZH stands for “Zeppelin Hall” which houses mainly e-bike suppliers as well as extraenergy’s test track.

tax Bike Break

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SraM Has a Kao HanK Kao iS SraM’S Main Man in aSia

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ideal Spot CentraL LoCation, europe-wiDe SerViCe

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LeaSe a BiKe, Get a taX BreaK in GerMany -----------------------------------------------------------------

Cheap imitations Beware oF LouSy e-BiKeS, teSter warnS

SuGoi putS your DeSiGn on itS JerSeyS, SHortS -----------------------------------------------------------------

Fresh Breeze aSi BrinGS Breezer BranD to treKKinG

partS MaKerS Join ForCeS to LoBBy uCi -----------------------------------------------------------------

pearls from Softshells SoFtSHeLLS Generate HarD appareL SaLeS

Bicycle island taiwan BiKe SaLeS SLow aFter BooM

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Lighter & tighter CoMpreSSion, MeSH MarK appareL trenDS

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all rigHtS reServed. NO part Of tHiS publicatiON may be reprOduced WitHOut Specific WritteN permiSSiON frOm tHe publiSHer. NeitHer tHe publiSHerS NOr WriterS caN be Held reSpONSible fOr damage Of aNy kiNd tHat may ariSe aS a reSult Of tHe cONteNt HereiN.

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wHat'S on toDay? SHow Day #2 - tHurSDay, Sept. 3rD, 2009 aLL-Day eVentS uLtra Motor

Come meet German actor, anchormann and musician Mola adebisi as well as actor oliver Korittke at ultra Motor stand zeppelin Hall -209

SLiMe

Come meet 4-time race-across-america (raaM) winner Jure robic at the Slime booth and see why he chooses to ride e-HuB! Hall B5/206

toMaC BiKeS

prominent guest: John tomac, the greatest mountainbiker of all time Hall a2/504

CropS

Check out the ad of eurobike debuting Japanese Crops and its antarex brand on page 10. perhaps you can help them out? they are searching for a new product name. Help’em out and you’ll get a fancy nippon-designed LeD light for free at their stand Hall a7/408.

SuGoi

Design your own custom apparel on the spot at the Sugoi booth.

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Simply bring your design or logo on a memory stick, and together with Sugoi’s custom artist you can adapt your design or concept on a jersey, short, or any other accessory. Hall a6/201

HeBie

Hosts a live event all day to promote its Bootbags - a bag for body and bike available in plastic and leather. watch the bags being produced by hand at the Hebie stand. Hall a5/304

SCHeDuLeD eVentS 10:00aM: BiKe Brno at euroBiKe

presentation on the Czech bike market and on the Bike Brno Fair in the administrative building near the west entrance – room a, 5th floor (the same building as the press center). administration building, near west entrrance: room a, 5th Floor

11:00aM & 2:00pM: euroBiKe FaSHion SHow

the latest colors, trendy cuts, new functions: Visit the attractive eurobike Fashion Show to discover the future of bike fashion. Hall a4

11:15aM: eDDy MerCKX CyCLeS autograph session with roadbike hero eddie Merckx. - Hall a1-401

2.00pM: teaM SaXo-BanK at FSa

11:00aM: eLite

Famous italian sports physician professor Francesco Conconi will explain the Conconi teSt. - Hall a1-204

at FSa Booth, Gustav Larsson of team Saxo-Bank will be at your disposal to sign autographs and to answer questions. a3-303

11:00aM: tiMe Sport intL. preSS ConFerenCe

3:00pM: GHoSt BiKeS

12:30aM: preSSeDienSt FaHrraD preSS piCniC

prominent guest at Ghost Bikes: 3 times German Master Downhill Marcus Klausmann. - B1-400

3:00pM: De Soto

Signing session with former pro triathlete and company founder emilio De Soto. a4-510

6:00pM: euroBiKe LaKe JuMp 2009 this year’s show is sure to make a splash. in fact, there will be lots of splashes at the first-ever eurobike Lake Jump. riders will fly off a ramp and jump directly into trade Fair Lake. - Lake in front of hall a1, west entrance

MeDia eVentS 10:00aM & 3:00pM: SpeCiaLizeD preSS ConFerenCe on erGonoMiC & CoMFortaBLe BiKinG Specialized stand Hall a3-206

11:00aM: LiMar preSentation

presentation of the world’s lightest helmet with participation of ex world champion Gianni Bugno. - Hall B2-100

room Switzerland, Conference Center Foyer west 1st floor

presentation of novelties with interviews, tests and photos. - Graubünden Lounge, Foyer east 1st floor (across from press Center east)

1:00pM: GroFa preSS ConFerenCe

launch Bell/Giro oneStep. - room Switzerland, Conference Center Foyer west 1st floor

2:00pM: FeLt preSS ConFerenCe MtB cross country pro team – project presentation. - room Liechtenstein, Conference Center Foyer west 1st floor

2:30pM: taiwan traDe Center preSS ConFerenCe

taiwan product launch at eurobike 2009 room Switzerland, Conference Center Foyer west, 1st floor

5:00pM: SKinS preSS ConFerenCe launch on the compression wear’s bike collection 2010. - room Liechtenstein, Conference Center west

note: tHiS iS not an eXHauStiVe LiSt. SoMe eVentS HeLD eXCLuSiVeLy in GerMan are not inCLuDeD.

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tOp HONOrS fOr 9 cOmpaNieS The Eurobike awards, announced Wednesday night, gave top honors to 9 companies and issued a total of 77 awards. Karbon Kinetics’ Gocycle took the top e-bike award for its unified design. “usually, the individual bike parts from different manufacturers are simply screwed together. Not so with the gocycle; these parts are designed individually for the basic concept to create an integrated whole,” the award jury said. In the cross, fitness and speed bike category, top honors went to giant’s accend 1 multi-purpose bike. the jury applauded giant for producing a sophisticated, full-suspension bike that looks uncomplicated from the outside. in mountain bikes, the raven extreme from focus bikes won for its frame design and its use of carbon steel. in folding bikes, the jury praised that dahon iOS Xl as “a perfect example of a stylish, functionally designed folding bike that meets the demands of urban mobility and flexibility.” This is the fifth year of the Eurobike awards. the jury, comprised of designers and journalists, picked from 400 entries submitted from 25 countries. along with top winners in eight categories, the jury also gave a “green award” for sustainable design. that went to e-Werk, a universal power supply and recharger made by busch & müller in germany. the e-Werk generates electricity while the bike is moving that no only powers bicycle lights but charges such essential accessories as cell phones and gpS devices.

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trek Fahrrad GmbH GM Harald Schmiedel in front of trek Group’s ride+ pedelecs line. © Jo BeCKenDorFF

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otHer top awarDS were * the Quintana roo aerodynamic triathlon frame from the american bicycle group, for specialpurpose bike. the jury was most impressed with the shape of the frame, which it described as phenomenal. * the miNifree cycle computer from o-synce europe, for electronic components. * two taiwan products—the dragonfly tool from birzman and the pedal kickstand by massload tsai Jung enterprise—won top awards in accessories categories. the jury described the massload kickstand as “unobtrusive, attractive, [and] a really polished product for the urban lifestyle.” all of the award-winning products will be on exhibit for the rest of the show on the ground floor of the West entrance. four of 57 student entries also received a eurobike award in the Students category. chairing the jury was Nils Holger moorman, a successful german furniture entrepreneur who has won many international design awards.

— BS the GoCycle. © KarBon KenetiCS

trek eurOpe’S ride+ pedelecS SHip tO u.S. Bicycle innovations often start in the U.S. before spreading to Europe – mountain bikes are a prime example. But now with all the excitement about an e-bike boom, some pedelecs that were born in Europe are heading to America. the trek group is bringing its ride+ european sub label for pedelecs to the u.S. Harald Schmiedel, gm of Switzerlandbased trek fahrrad gmbH, is responsible for the germanspeaking market. “last year we introduced 3 pedelecs. this time we have 7 at our eurobike stand, so trek group’s local european brands diamant and villiger are each offering seven ride+ pedelecs.”

the trek ride+ models will roll out very soon in america. “the first trek pedelecs were made in Hartmannsdorf, germany, by diamant as a pilot project and shipped to the u.S.a. the first shipment arrived there in June,” added Schmiedel. according to Schmiedel, the trek group wants to become a leading global player in this field.

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industry views ... at the show WHat are tHe mOSt iNtereStiNg treNdS iN cycliNg apparel? Laura LanCini Mas italia, italy

“cycling brands are using more and more zippers, which is very positive for us. there has been a lot of innovation in this respect in the last years, so we’re taking a little break. the trend is towards more functional zippers, for example with reflective coating.”

CéDriC FiSCHer Switzerland

“a major trend is the move away from all sorts of bright colors to softer shades. We’re moving away from ‘flash.’ When it comes to technical improvements, lightness and ventilation are the two main points. products are getting thinner and ever more technical.”

JörG wewerS

about to take over Fahrrad wilker, Belm, Germany

“What strikes me most is that, yet again, there is not much apparel here that is suitable for people like me. german people are getting bigger all the time and cycling clothing is getting tighter. this trekking gear makes me look silly and the performance stuff is worse. Only gonso and gore have thought of the larger cyclists.”

eMiLia BaStoS rota pro, portugal

“brands are increasingly responding to the demand for a mix between technical performance and style. there is a rather surprising level of demand for such products in Spain, and even more so in portugal, where cyclists prefer high-quality clothing.”

woJCieCH KaLaFarSKi ibis, poland

“What jumped out at me is that so many brands are using white this year. this trend is catching on in poland, but there is another strong trend in favor of pink, all shades of pink, for apparel as well as bicycles, accessories, helmets and everything.”

renate MatHiS

Sport Mathis, Hohenems, Germany

“the clearest trend is that there is more and more clothing designed for leisure cyclists. a few years ago, functional cycling clothing was only used by the most avid road cyclists, but the brands have apparently understood that there is more demand for functional fabrics and neat cuts among leisure cyclists as well.”

pHiLip CHou Sun Star, taiwan

“the taiwanese market for cycling apparel has completely changed in the last years. it used to be something for fanatics, but now many cyclists want the right apparel and they are even starting to buy specialized underwear. So we’re interested in technical trends, such as the use of mesh and different types of fabrics in specific parts of the garment.”

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Jozef Kender, founder and general manager of the Czech company Kenzel. © Jo BeCKenDorFF

keNZel OfferS clOSe-tOmarket bike aSSembly Slovakian bike assembler Kenzel is promising close-to-market service at its first Eurobike appearance. “The company started 1991 in the wholesale business and moved forward into the bicycle market in 1993,” said Jozef Kender, the company’s founder and general manager. Since 1996, kenzel has assembled bicycles, primarily for the Slovakian home market and the nearby czech republic. but kenzel also exports into some Western european countries. at eurobike, kenzel now is searching for distributors for other european markets, including germany.

“being a kenzel customer means being close to production. We can react very quickly to any upcoming trends,” kender said. Some 90% of his company’s total production is for the private-label kenzel brand. the Slovakians also handle research and development of bike models. apart from assembling bikes, kenzel also produces steel frames, wheels, forks and rims.

- JB

yikeS, iS tHat tHiNg a bike? Every trade show needs a head-turner, and New Zealand inventor and serial entrepreneur Grant Ryan has delivered. His YikeBike folding electric bicycle has to be seen to be believed. He calls it a “mini-farthing,” in homage to the “Penny Farthing” Ordinary bicycle of the 1880s. Now smack bang up to date, the yikebike ike sports a 1.2-kilowatt electric motor with a top speed of 20km an (12 miles) an hour. No pedalling is required. the yikebike also has anti-skid brakes, brake lights and indicators. It was officially launched at eurobike yesterday, and orders are being taken on yikebike.com for delivery in april. the whizzy little thing is not cheap: expect to pay about ˆ 3,500 ($4,970), ryan said, but that’s for the composite model. a non-carbon version will be considerably cheaper. the yikebike weighs less than 10 kilograms (22 pounds, 1 ounce) and requires the user to steer the bike recumbent-style, beneath the “saddle.”

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“We have taken a fresh approach to cycle design to give people freedom to commute easily and quickly in crowded urban environments with a minimal carbon footprint,” ryan said. He fought off show attendees who were eager to put the yikebike through its paces. yikebike is backed by the two largest venture investment firms in New Zealand: pioneer capital partners and k1W1. the company has also gotten support from the foundation for research Science & technology. ryan, an entrepreneur, has founded and sold several companies, including globalbrain.net, realcontacts, Sli-Systems, and eurekster. new zealand inventor and serial entreepreneur Grant ryan. © CarLton reiD

- Cr

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kalkHOff takeS lOOk back at 90-year HiStOry The venerable Kalkhoff brand is celebrating its 90th anniversary by pedaling down memory lane. The company, now owned by the Derby Cycle Group of Germany, is showing three stylish retro bikes at Eurobike. “the frame design is like the ones used on the first kalkhoff bikes in those days, but with the latest technologies behind them,” kalkhoff brand manager dirk köhne said. kalkhoff’s anniversary year is 2009, but the anniversary models are slated to roll in to the market next year.

Heinrich kalkhoff, a 16-year-old rural postman, founded the company in cloppenburg in 1919. He started by selling tires on the side and then expanded into bicycles. kalkhoff bikes are still made in cloppenburg. the company went bankrupt in 1986 and was bought by the derby cycle group two years later.

Kalkhoff brand manager Dirk Köhne with one of its stylish 90th anniversary models. © Jo BeCKenDorFF

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muc-Off embarkS ON eurOpeaN lauNcH at eurObike After years of preparation and fine-tuning of their market-leading cleaners and lubrication, UK-based bicycle specific care company Muc-Off is launching into Europe at Eurobike. StanD no.

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previewing exclusively at eurobike is a whole new range of premium muc-Off bicycle care products, featuring 29 major product upgrades, along with the premium bike cleaning brush range. the new 1-litre Nanotech bottle also houses a brand-new trigger with an ergonomic design. muc-Off is running a competition to win a complete bike care kit in a business card ‘free prize draw’.

StOrck electrifieS trekkiNg mOdelS German high-end bike maker Storck Bicycle is going electric. Storck has equipped its established trekking bikes, the Multiroad and Multitask models, with what it calls “Raddar” e-bike technology.

Storck’s Mario Kuban with one of the company’s first e-bikes. © BernHarD wroBeL

What distinguishes the raddar proprietary engine concept from others is its performance, low noise level and range. “in combination with further innovative features, the raddar models are not just e-bikes, but high-tech mobility machines,” marketing manager mario kuban said. Storck uses a powerful, 24-volt electric motor on a 28-inch wheel. the motor weighs 5.8 kilograms (12 pounds, 13 ounces). the system is able to recharge itself when the bike is rolling. StanD no.

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partS makerS mObiliZe tO lObby uci A new organization of leading bike parts makers was scheduled to have its first full meeting last night at Eurobike. At the top of the group’s agenda is lobbying the UCI [Union Cycliste Internationale] to argue for lighter bikes and a reworking of the UCI’s controversial aero equipment rule. the parts makers formed the global Organization of cycling equipment manufacturers, or gOcem, in July, and eurobike is the first time the group has been able to get most of its members together. chris peck, vp of research & development for cannondale, welcomed the creation of gOcem. He cited the continual battles between bike makers and the uci, which is the world governing body for professional cycling. “in retrospect, this should have happened a long time ago,” peck said. “as it stands now the uci feels the rules are already in place and it is up to us on how those rules are interpreted. but the interpretation is a challenge, for sure.” based in aigle, Switzerland, the uci famously bans innovative cycling equipment and restricts the weight of pro bicycles to 6.8kg (15 pounds). manufacturers say bikes now can be made much lighter than the uci limits without sacrificing safety.

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Chris peck. © CarLton reiD

“my personal opinion is that there should be no weight limit at all, but we have to work with the uci to see how much movement we can get,” peck said. in 2003, he noted, cannondale added ballast to its Six13 carbon/aluminum tour de france bikes. “but,” peck said, “imagine how much further we have progressed technologically since 2003. it’s now very easy to get something below the uci weight limit and still be very safe.”

the aero rule is another point of contention between the uci and several industry companies. in January, the uci informed teams it would begin enforcing its “3:1 aero equipment rule” on all parts and components, not just the frame tubes as it had previously. this interpretation caught manufacturers by surprise. they were concerned that strict and immediate enforcement of the “3:1 rule” could potentially cause significant financial hardship, and was one of the catalysts that sparked the creation of gOcem. at this year's tour de france, team mechanics reported that one commissaire declared a bike illegal while another said it was legal. manufacturers say the confusion shows that the aero regs are badly worded and subject to a great deal of interpretation. companies such as britain’s uSe market its aero handlebars as “compliant with the uci,” but say the uci rules prevent them from making products even slippier through the air. Such stifling of innovation rankles the industry, although gOcem is the first time companies have joined together to tackle the uci en masse. gOcem’s founding members include bH, bianchi, bmc, cannondale, canyon, cervélo, cinelli, cOliped, felt, and focus. also: fSa, fuji, giant, gt, Head,

look, mavic, Orbea, Oval, and prologo. also: Quark, ritchey, rotor, Specialized, Sram, teschner, time, 3t, Zipp and a-team firms from taiwan. Notably absent from gOcem is Shimano, a uci sponsor that today will announce a new four-year deal with the uci. leading gOcem are phil White, cofounder of cervélo, and claudio marra, gm of fSa europe. “cycling equipment manufacturers have the greatest investment and a vested interest in the success and growth of the sport,” White said in July. He believes bicycle frames can be made ultra lightweight with no sacrifice in safety. clive gosling, owner of a uk bike shop that specializes in lightweight bikes (and tech editor for the bicycle buyer), said the foundation of gOcem was timely. “if the uci hadn't banned mavic mektronic shifters all those years ago, what we've got today with Shimano’s di2 groupset would have been available much earlier because mavic would have continued developing their electronic transmission,” gosling said. “making bikes lighter and more innovative - and safe, too, of course - is attractive to consumers. anything that helps sells bikes is good for us all, especially in a down economy.”

— Cr

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firSt aSi-prOduced liNe Of keStrel tri bikeS debutS

Super b’S Super-SiZed WOrk StatiON iS made fOr SHOpS

Triathlon may be a niche market in Europe, but Advanced Sports, Inc., has reason to celebrate it at Eurobike. ASI, the U.S. company best known for its Fuji road bike brand, is debuting its Kestrel StanD no. triathlon bikes in Europe at this show.

If a bike mechanic can’t find a tool in Super B’s new Work Station, he probably doesn’t need it. The Super B Work Station is designed to be an all-in-one servicing center for bike shops, with seven drawers chock full of tools ranging from a hacksaw and a bearing cup press to spoke wrenches.

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to bolster its presence in the german market, aSi is in the process of acquiring its german distributor, twin Sport gmbH. the acquisition is proceeding in stages and will be competed by 2012, according to cunnane and armin van Hoogstraten, twin Sport’s general manager. Mountain biking pioneers Gary Fisher (left) and Joe Breeze (center) chat with pat Cunnane, president of aSi. © DouG MCLeLLan

The introduction is significant because it is the first ASI-produced kestrel line since the company acquired kestrel in September 2007.

Hoogstraten is particularly excited by the european introduction of the breezer line of city and trekking bikes, designed by mountain biking pioneer Joe breeze. He said the breezer name still resonates, even through it has been absent from the market for several years.

aSi president pat cunnane said the company maintained much of kestrel’s distinctive look. “We used the same outside design firm that they used,” he said.

“pioneers like gary fisher, tom ritchie and Joe breeze - even if they’re out of the business for 10 years, they still have famous names,” Hoogstraten said.

“We believe in quality at a favorable price for the customer,” said cindy Wei, Super b’s marketing manager. the taiwan company started making hand tools 20 years ago. that market, including a line of pneumatic tools, now accounts for half of its business. the other half is bicycle tools, which Super b has produced for eight years.

for now, Super b’s aftermarket sales have been exclusively in the european market. but ginny yang of the marketing department said Super b will attend interbke this year where it hopes to find distributors for North american markets. Ginny yang (left) and Cindy wei of Super B with the new 99000 work Station. © DouG MCLeLLan

as an Oem manufacturer for brands like Hitachi and Shimano, Super b emphasizes its ability to control production. at eurobike, Super b also is launching an aftermarket, high-end tool brand it calls “beuni,” a name that combines “Super b” with “unique.” “these are the professional tools in the line,” Wei said, while the existing Super b brand of tools is designed more for consumers.

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taipei cycle SHOW 2010 tO Have NeW-lOOk daily Preparations are already under way for the industry-focused Taipei International Cycle Show, which is inviting international manufacturers and buyers to the world hub of quality bicycle production. Show organizers taitra (taiwan external trade development council) recently signed an agreement with kb media, publishers of the eurobike Show daily (eSd), to produce the Official daily for taipei next year. kb media is run by long-time industry journalists tom kavanagh and Jo beckendorff. the 23rd taipei Show will be held march 17-20 next year at the taipei World trade center’s state-of-the-art Nangang exhibition Hall.

taiwan has become a center for high-tech innovation: according to taitra, the taipei show has “a laserlike focus on added value, innovation and quality to bring bright solutions to help the industry through economic blues.” Next year’s international bike show spotlights “ict products on Wheels” and ‘folding bikes”. for further info see www.taipeicycle.com.tw or www.bikeshowdaily.com. Jo Beckendorff (KB Media), andrea wu (taitra), Lih-Fen Her (Bureau of Foreign trade, taiwan), tom Kavanagh (KB Media). © BernarD wroBeL

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11/09/2009 22:55:41

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deSigN yOur OWN bikeWear at SugOi After the tremendous success of the Sugoi Custom program at Eurobike 2008, Sugoi will again in 2009 provide all interested companies, clubs, teams, athletes, and dealers the opportunity to design their own custom apparel right at the Sugoi booth. Simply bring your design or logo on a memory stick, and together with Sugoi’s technical custom artist you can adapt your design or concept on a jersey, short, or any other accessory. you can also learn about Sugoi’s interactive custom website and learn how easy it is for you to create your own team gear online - with a 3d graphic that provides a complete view of the look of the finished garment.

raCe anD reCoVer for 2010, Sugoi’s r+r line is centered on piston fabric technology, which uses polyamide-based materials that boast the lowest weight per square inch available in warp-knit compression fabric. combined with the company’s proprietary powerknit process, 3d ergo fit panel Zone construction and using an ultrafine 36-gauge knitting process; piston fabrics provide exceptional performance and recovery benefits. the super-light piston 140 is used for upper-body garments, while the denser piston 200 makes up lower-

body garments including calf guards. the r+r line provides performance benefits to athletes over a range of sports cycling, triathlon, running and more.

win a CoMpLete CyCLinG Kit FroM SuGoi pick up a flyer at the Sugoi booth and complete some quick questions online for your chance to win a complete men’s or women’s kit. the Sugoi rS series provides every benefit that the hard-core cyclist could ever want. featuring gobi and vector Stretch fabrications, the rS series has superior moisture management, excellent ventilation, advanced stretch recovery and provides a sleek professional look. the Sugoi rS kit available to win includes: - SugOi rS Jersey - SugOi rS cycling Short - SugOi rS glove - SugOi Zap bike Jacket - SugOi mid Zero arm Warmer

Sugoi designs from eurobike. © SuGoi

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11/09/2009 22:55:53

euroBiKe SHow DaiLy 0 | 0 SHow Day #2

ludWig meier'S JOb: keepiNg eurObike freSH aNd ON tOp How do we attract exhibitors? How do we get visitors to come to our shows? These are the questions Ludwig Meier, Eurobike’s marketing director, asks himself every day. “part of our job is to find and create new ways to attract exhibitors and customers,” he said. When he started at messe friedrichshafen in 1985, “the marketing division was a secretary and me. today we are a team of six, responsible for all shows.” meier became head of marketing in 1989 and joined the messe friedrichshafen board in 2007. “We started from zero,” meier said. messe friedrichshafen was a trade show organizer with a yearly turnover of around ˆ 4m ($5.6m). today yearly sales are ˆ 27.4m ($38.5m). meier came up with the name “eurobike.” He also created many of the side events and activities that are so important for the show. One is the eurobike fashion Show. “bike apparel makers told us their dreams of having a nice presentation for bikewear. first we gave them a platform by putting this otherwise underappreciated segment in one hall. then we discussed the options for a professional bike fashion show,” meier said. in 1993 meier got in touch with the pro fashion agency of frankfurt (now ccS group) that since has been responsible for choreographing and staging the show.

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“therefore every year we have to think about a dramatic concept that helps the audience lose the concept of time.” meier and his team also created the idea of a compact one-page flyer (in english and german) for every apparel supplier on stage. the flyers are placed on the seats before each performance. Ludwig Meier, head of the Messe Friedrichshafen marketing division. © MeSSe FrieDriCHSHaFen

“you have to do it very professionally. Without investing in a professional partner it wouldn’t work,” meier said. as usual, this year's bike fashion show will take place three times a day. “Our bike fashion show started with seven bikewear suppliers. each of them introduced one collection. today, we have around 12 participating bikewear suppliers on stage. this is already over the limit. that’s our major problem right now. We can’t take any more,” meier said. “a fashion show should normally take no longer than 25 minutes,” he added.

“during the show, customers won’t be able to study each collection. therefore we give them something they can check afterwards and, if interested, they can visit the supplier’s booth,” he said. the bike show is only one part of meier’s job: “We were one of the first show organizers to work with the internet. Our eurobike Web site was early on the scene. this led very early to direct communication with exhibitors and trade visitors.” eurobike’s first newsletters in the 1990s was sent by mail and fax, but today they’re sent by e-mail. by adopting the Web early on, eurobike has created a detailed database of exhibitors and visitors.

“this enables us to communicate directly with each target group,” meier noted. meier and his team also practice trendspotting. “We always look for ways to solve problems for eurobike’s trade visitors. this led for example to the special program, ‘Shop 2000,’ we created at the end of the 90s.” eurobike is on top, and meier’s job is to help keep it there. that does not just mean brainstorming new ideas. the “old” stuff has to run smoothly too. What can be changed for the better? How far can you go without leaving the successful original strat≠egies behind? “When i started it was more an operating job. i had to do everything by myself. today, with the support of my team, it’s more a question of coordination and strategic planning,” meier said. the lindau-born marketing manager came to friedrichshafen after working in Nuremberg for datev, a software and it company. “it’s a great company, but i didn’t like the weather and the countryside as much as here, where i grew up,” meier said. “i feel blessed to have a job in this region with its mountains and the lake—and let’s not forget the great weather.”

- JB

11/09/2009 22:56:01

SHow Day #2 0 | 0 euroBiKe SHow DaiLy

GM Heiko Mueller rides the company’s full suspension Birdy folder. © rieSe & MueLLer

Sram iNtrOduceS r2c tt SHifterS The new R2C differs from conventional levers in that it features SRAM’s ‘Return to Center’ technology (R2C). The focal point of the R2C is its ability to automatically return the shifting lever to the centre position after a shift in either direction.

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riese & Mueller introduce bike leasing scheme in Germany

ride a bike, Save taXeS - bicycle leaSiNg makeS it pOSSible Riese & Mueller, creators of the full suspension Birdy folding bike, have joined forces with insurer Wertgarantie to offer luxury bikes with premium service under a tax-friendly leasing scheme for German commuters. The scheme, introduced in February at a dealer meeting, has attractive benefits, including coverage for repair costs and theft insurance. Freelancers and the self-employed have the most to gain from leasing their bikes. many workers use a leased car to travel to the office each day because of the tax benefits. For the self-employed who travel short distances to work, bicycle leasing offers similar advantages.

of the darmstadt manufacturer. after a credit check by gefa, the dealer can tell the customer the exact lease rate for the desired model and a contract can be signed.

under the scheme being pioneered by bike makers riese & mueller, known for highquality full-suspension bikes, this is now possible. r&m got together with insurance company Wertgarantie and the gefa leasing bank to develop this interesting concept.

“the duration of the contract is three years, then the customer can sign a new contract and get a new bike,“ explains Wertgarantie sales manager george duesener. it’s an attractive offer, especially as the agreement includes a warranty package to cover repairs, theft and damage. “ultimately, we offer our customers comprehensive protection for the bicycle. all the self-employed person has to do is get confirmation from his tax office,” said Mueller.

“rising numbers of young, professionally successful people are increasingly using bikes to get around,” says company cofounder and gm Heiko mueller. “it’s a great way to get some exercise in the course of a long working day.” So why not combine the pleasure of cycling with some tax savings? With r&m and its partners it is quite simple: in stores you choose any model from the product range

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Riders will find it effortless to maintain an aerodynamic and comfortable position even while riding on varied terrain, because even after multiple changes the lever is always in the same place. Sram’s new r2c tt shifters feature a narrow shifting blade that fits perfectly between thumb and first finger. Along with the ability to set the initial position of the shift lever, within a 40-degree range, this adds comfort to the hand position.

both front and rear shifting are indexed, providing precise and flawless gear changes. the best chain line possible is achieved with two trim positions at the front. With unidirectional carbon fiber blades and a titanium inner bolt, the Sram r2c shifters weigh in at 175 grams (6 ounces).

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What about the costs? “for the birdy folding model, the leasing rate is ˆ 33 ($47) plus twelve euros per month ($17) in insurance fee,” mueller explained. more expensive bikes incur higher leasing rates. after three years the user is free to end the lease, or lease a new bike.

11/09/2009 22:56:15

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11/09/2009 22:56:26

SHow Day #2 0 | 0 euroBiKe SHow DaiLy

HaNk kaO: tHe face Of Sram iN aSia In Asia, Hank Kao is the face of SRAM, the U.S. component maker. During an 18-year career, Kao has worked his way up from sales manager to general manager of SRAM Asia. Now, Kao not only oversees SRAM sales in Asia but manages its factories in Taiwan and China. It’s been an extremely busy job, especially as SRAM continues growing through acquisitions. kao’s rise mirrors the story of Sram itself, from a small company to one of the world’s leading manufacturers of bike parts and components. it started with the gripshift, a twist shifter that started a revolution in the industry. inventors Sam patterson and brothers Stan and f.k. day founded Sram in 1987 and debuted the gripshift in January 1988 at a trade show in long beach, california. ever since, Sram has methodically grown its business by introducing new products and by acquiring other companies. in 1997, Sram acquired the german component manufacturer Sachs in Schweinfurt, giving it an instant presence in the internal gear hub market. in 2002, Sram swallowed rockshox, the suspension fork pioneer. in 2004 came avid brakes and parts maker truvativ, and in 2007 the company acquired wheel and rim maker Zipp. through these strategic, step-by-step acquisitions, combined with its growing business in derailleurs and internal hubs, Sram has become a world leader. Sram opened its first asian factory in taiwan in 1991. Sram asia’s challenge was taking the ideas from company engineers and figuring out how to mass produce them at a reasonable cost.

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Hank Kao, GM of SraM asia, holds cassettes from the high-end red group, before and after CnC machining. © Jo BeCKenDorFF

today, kao oversees three asian factories. “it was four, but we shut down one chinese factory in Suzhou, and in June we integrated our entry-level production into our Shunde factory in guangdong,” kao said. the other two asian factories are in taiwan, kao’s home country. “Our dali factory [the former truvativ factory] produces handlebars, pedals, seatposts, cranksets, etc. Our large Shen kang factory makes drive trains as well as rockshox and avid products. that’s all based at our asian company headquarters.”

Sram also operates a large research and development center in taichung, the hub of the taiwanese bicycle industry. called the asia development center, it employs nearly 100 people. Sram continues to make internal hubs in germany and chains in portugal, but most other Sram products are manufactured in taiwan. “even our new front transmission, the Hammerschmidt, is made in taiwan. the new trekking bike component group we are introducing here at eurobike for the 2010 season is also made in taiwan,” kao said. production of the trekking bike component group began in may. “this year we also started Oem wheel production and assembly in taiwan. the rims are made by Zipp in indianapolis,” kao said. Zipp branded wheels and rims are still made in the uSa. kao’s challenge is keeping up with the enormous increase in production at Sram’s factories - and making it all work smoothly. “you always have to think ahead about what you can improve. look for example at our cassette production machinery. We developed this ourselves,” he said. “the chain rings are put together by a unique automated circle procedure. it no longer costs us time on the production line.”

kao said he is most proud of Sram’s adoption of the toyota production System, widely used at many factories around the world. created by the Japanese carmaker, tpS is based on the concepts of “Jidoka” and “Just-in-time.” Jidoka can be loosely translated as “automation with a human touch.” that means when a problem occurs, the equipment stops immediately, so defective products are not produced. Just-in-time requires that a manufacturing step produces only what is needed, when it’s needed, for the next step. “Without tpS we would not have been able to fit all of this production expansion into our factories. as you can see, even here at our largest factory we don’t have enough space. We rented nearby buildings but we still have limited space,” kao said. “thanks to tpS, we are able so keep everything such as production, warehouse and administration together in our limited space,” he added as he walked through the Shen kang factory. “manufactured products leave the factory immediately and do not occupy our warehouse. raw materials are there only for current production. the warehouse is automatically filled up as soon as we need more. it’s a constant process. each one interlocks with each other. it’s cool.”

- Jo Beckendorff

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11/09/2009 22:56:32

euroBiKe SHow DaiLy 0 | 0 SHow Day #2

preStO prOJect SeekS tO bOOSt urbaN cycliNg iN 5 citieS Cycling advocates in five European cities hope to say “Presto, Change-o!” and boost the number of cyclists in their cities, thanks to a ˆ 1.4 million ($2.0 million) subsidy from the European Commission. the debut meeting in Cologne. © etra

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the initiative, called presto, is the first european project ever to involve bike retailers. a consortium including the european two-Wheeler retailers association (etra) and the european cyclist federation (ecf), among others, developed the concept. presto is a test case for a project that could expand to several european cities. it was developed in response to a request for proposals, from the executive agency for competitiveness and innovation, to increase cycling’s role as a way of supporting alternative and sustainable transportation methods. the organization is an agency of the european commission.

marketing cycling’s advantages to road users.

while Zagreb, croatia, and tczew, poland, can be classified as “beginners.”

despite its benefits, cycling’s share of urban transport modes across the european union is mixed. although it is rather high in some dutch, danish and belgian cities, it is still low, particularly in the new member states and in Southern europe. the european bicycle community believes that the problem of low bicycle usage for urban transportation should be tackled on two fronts. european cities must facilitate and stimulate cycling by providing sound infrastructure, while advocates also need to do a better job of

a growing number of cities are seeking advice and support from other cities that have well-developed cycling policies. in cooperation with rupprecht consult gmbH, etra and ecf drafted the presto project to transfer know-how in the field of cycling infrastructure, promotion and electric bicycles. they selected five european cities to take part in the project. bremen, germany, was chosen because it is a forerunner in cycling policy. grenoble, france, and venice, italy, are in the process of implementing cycling policies,

presto has three main objectives. One is to improve energy efficiency and reduce air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions by increasing the modal share of cycling. the second is to improve infrastructure and training so that urban cyclists will be safer. the third is improving public health by promoting the physical activity of cycling.

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bicycle industry. etra, which is responsible for the e-bike component of presto, plans to organize “try-out days” where cyclists can familiarize themselves with the e-bike phenomenon. etra will also produce a guide to good practices as well as a number of e-bike fact sheets. along with educating consumers, etra also hopes to seize the opportunity to educate bicycle retailers and make them more aware of the need to offer appropriate bikes for urban cyclists.

presto is expected to last three years and has a budget of about ˆ 1.86m ($2.63m), which is co-funded by the e.u. presto is the first european project involving the

e-bikes will play an important role in the presto project because they have the potential to appeal to a much larger group of potential cyclists than conventional bikes. e-bikes also include high technology and facilitate the promotion of cycling as a healthy and environmentally friendly activity. all five cities involved in the presto project say they are interested in hosting e-bike “try-out days.” etra has received pledges of logistical and financial support from accell, giant and ultra motors for these planned public demo days. for more information about presto, call etra at +32 9 233 60 05, email etra@ pandora.be, or visit ecf at eurobike.

- annick roetynck

11/09/2009 22:56:37

SHow Day #2 0 | 0 euroBiKe SHow DaiLy

restaurant Guide

tHe beSt reStauraNtS, aS cHOSeN by lOcalS Looking for good food, a cold drink and a place to relax after a long day at the show? No one knows the best restaurants in the area better than Friedrichshafen locals. We asked people who work at Messe Friedrichshafen every day to recommend their favorite restaurants. Here, exclusively for Show Daily readers, are their recommendations.

LuDwiG Meier Marketing Manager

LiSSi reBHoLz receptionist

i like to go to the beach club on the waterfront of the lake in friedrichshafen. the young management does a great job. the club is only open five months a year, and every year they tear it down and build it up again for the next season. i’m impressed how they manage to serve such good food. they open at 9 a.m., and i love to go there for their wellness breakfast, which includes about 14 different fruits. Ludwig Meier. © Jo BeCKenDorFF

my recommendation is bach in langenargen. it’s a perfect combination of lounge, bar and restaurant with a large outdoor terrace that is protected from the weather. the food is very international. bach offers a variety of interesting combinations. international guests will enjoy the authentic thai soup (my favorite), spaghetti with scampi or a great salad. bach is my favorite local restaurant.

When i sit right on the waterfront, eat my breakfast and enjoy the view of the lake with the Swiss mountains in the distance it’s like being on vacation!

Bach mühlstraße 10 88085 langenargen tel. +49 (0)7543 499383

Lissi rebholz. © Jo BeCKenDorFF

SaraH BairLe CDS Security Service

they have always three menus to choose from for lunch and dinner, and don’t forget their bar, which serves a huge variety of cocktails. Some of the best are non-alcoholic. for those looking for a unique and cozy experience, i recommend Schnakencafe [“daddy longlegs” café]. it’s in friedrichshafen, offers a huge round table for several guests and is run by kurt müller. Sarah Bairle. © Jo BeCKenDorFF

i like lukullum in friedrichshafen. How do you explain this place? it’s a gastronomic event, offering everything from steaks to italian cuisine. i like their pizzas and pastas. but also the salads are great. the portions are huge. you definitely get a lot for what you pay. the prices are affordable. Lukullum friedrichstraße 21 88045 friedrichshafen +49 (0)7541 6818 www.lukullum.de

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Salads and the smoked felchen, a white freshwater fish out of lake constance, are great. but Schnakencafe is best known for its roast chicken. the half chicken is a classic. Beach Club Friedrichshafen uferstrasse 1 88045 friedrichshafen tel. +49 (0)175 2444132 www.beachclub-fn.de

Schnakencafe felchenweg 88046 friedrichshafen tel. +49 (0)7541 372987 www.schnakencafe.de

11/09/2009 22:56:48

euroBiKe SHow DaiLy 0 | 0 SHow Day #2

take tHiS article tO akSleN; firSt 30 get a free ligHt!! Another Taiwanese exhibitor is celebrating an impressive anniversary this year. LED lighting manufacturer Haoli Precision Industry is commemorating its 30-year history with a special offer to Eurobike Show Daily readers. The first 30 customers who bring this article to the Haoli booth will receive one of its new Akslen LED lights for free. Haoli is the only taiwanese bicycle light maker that owns optical patents in taiwan.

check out Haoli’s latest led cycle products on the company’s website at www.akslen.com, which also provides links that help consumers determine the proper mounting brackets for a intended use.

Sanderick H. Chang, product and marketing manager for akslen. © Jo BeCKenDorFF

“different from other normal structural or outlook design patents that only apply to one single model, these optical patents are all universal principles for designing bicycle light optics,” says akslen product and marketing manager Sanderick H. chang.

“though each of our models have certain bracket accessories, these brackets may be also compatible with other models,” chang said. He added: “Our new Web pages can provide consumers more information about our brackets, and the various options for mounting the lights on their bicycles. each option is illustrated with pictures.”

Haoli created the akslen premium brand about six years ago, and the patents apply to all akslen headlights and taillights. chang said the company is the only taiwanese maker whose optical taillights surpass the german national standard for bicycle lights, known as StvZO. at this year’s eurobike exhibition, Haoli is looking for distributors in several european countries.

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at eurobike, you can see a new akslen headlight with true high and low beam functions. StanD no.

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Just don’t forget to bring this article with you! - JB

11/09/2009 22:56:58

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11/09/2009 22:57:10

euroBiKe SHow DaiLy 0 | 0 SHow Day #2

Bikewear feature

SOftSHellS geNerate Hard SaleS fOr apparel cOmpaNieS Ask a cyclist about wearing a bike jacket, and the response was typically, “you’re better off without one.” Cyclists used to have to choose between waterproof or windproof. Now, there’s a third category: softshells, which seem to be making everyone happy. like them or not, bike jackets can be a necessity. they keep off wind and rain and protect against chill and hypothermia. the downside is that they restrict the rider’s freedom of movement, reduce breathability and add weight to one’s equipment. Since they are a necessary evil, the best jackets are lightweight, pack into a small space, have high breathability, and are cut anatomically.

Vaude town Jacket and Shirt. © VauDe

the second windbreaker trend is versatility, especially those designed for cross-alp or cycling tours. for example, the gore bikewear countdown aS Jacket is made for leisure cyclists or bike tourists who need an all-purpose jacket with a relaxed fit. for road riders, vaude’s new Optic Jacket offers versatility. the Optic is made of Windproof 80 fabric, which allows a small amount of ventilation and better breathability. it also offers zip-off sleeves that attach across the shoulder bolero-style, making the jacket even lighter by reducing the number of zippers required.

X-Bionic Shark Jacket. © X-BioniC

Windbreakers began as polyester or polyamide jackets, but have developed over time into extremely light and small garments that fit into a jersey pocket. recently, nearly all bike apparel brands have offered jackets weighing as little as 70 grams (2.5 ounces), such as the Sugoi Helium, gonso atlanta or Sportful Hot pack.

meanwhile, several fabric makers have tried to make inroads on gore’s waterproof membranes. vaude, montane, biemme, diadora and descente have used event, while gonso went with Sympatex and X-bionic presented its Symbionic membrane as a more functional alternative to the market leader. One might have though that W.l. gore was facing hard times—but one would be wrong. Sugoi Helios Jacket. © SuGoi

for 2010, it appears as if the top dog has expanded its share of the bike jacket market. event has, more or less, pulled out of european market, Sympatex is fading, and X-bionic is too specialized for the broader market. Vaude Bolero zipp-off Jacket. © VauDe

meanwhile, gore-tex’s partners have remained loyal. Löffler’s Colibri Jacket or gore bikewear’s Oxygen and X-alp Jackets offer the current state-of-theart in bike apparel.

the most important development in the sector of bike jackets remains the softshell. this new category has migrated to cycling from the outdoor and snow sports market, where it accounts for a significant amount of sales. “cycling is becoming a fourseason sport and the need for warmer clothing is growing,” said andré bachmann, sales manager of craft, who said the success of softshell jackets in the outdoor market shows they can successfully blend sports and warmth. clemens deilmann, gore bikewear’s head of design, said, “lightweight and stretchy three-layer softshells [are] gaining ground,” adding that they offer more comfort and higher breathability compared to traditional bike jackets. rob blair, product manager at Sugoi, sees another role for the new category of jackets.“the purpose of softshell jackets is to eliminate or reduce the need for layering,” blair said.

Nevertheless, gore competitors are staying active. gonso is launching a 2.5-layer membrane called Hightex breathable Stretch for 2010. the thunder Jacket is an extremely lightweight and small waterproof shell that can be carried in the back pocket of a jersey for emergencies. the prize for the most technical innovation goes, once more, to X-bionic. the Shark Jacket features valves, which the company calls airintakes, along with a so-called Spaceframe design that allows fresh air to circulate within the jacket and prevent condensation. Warm, moist air is exhausted by the chimney effect.

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Gore Bikewear Xenon Jacket. © Gore

Softshells offer enough protection, more stretch and better freedom of movement than the unpopular old jacket generation. maybe cyclists will soon learn to love their bike jackets after all.

- ralf Stefan Beppler

11/09/2009 22:57:22

SHow Day #2 0 | 0 euroBiKe SHow DaiLy

German bicycle engineer peter Denk of Denk engineering. © DenK

tOpeak addS fOldiNg bike tO JaNgO liNeup Topeak has long been rumored to have folding bike ambitions. Now these rumors have become reality. The innovative Taiwanese company is adding a 16-inch, full-suspension folding bike to its Jango line of “multi-mobility bikes.” this new addition uses a patented folding mechanism that topeak calls “natural folding movement.” it was developed by topeak, along with german companies adp engineering gmbH and 5th dimension.

deNk eNgiNeeriNg createS a NeWS ‘flaSH’ WitH caNNONdale Displayed at the Cannondale booth is a state-of-the-art 7.54 kg (16 pound, 10 ounce) carbon fiber hardtail called the Flash. Behind this innovative bike is Denk Engineering of Germany, headed by Peter Denk and Thomas Fuderer. They are better known as the brains behind several innovations at Scott. ESD’s Jo Beckendorff interviewed Denk and filed this report: ESD: What have you been up to since the end of the partnership with Scott? Peter Denk: We developed the carbon clincher rim which is sold by dt and developed new carbon technologies and frame concepts. ESD: denk engineering made its name in the cycling world with a focus on lightness and suspension. you and your team engineered the cannondale flash for 2010. Is this the first product you have developed for cannondale? PD: yes, we are working on many projects for the future but we decided that we needed a milestone bike for our first show with Cannondale. And we were able to finish the hardtail in that timeframe. ESD: the name denk engineering, with its focus on lightweight products, is closely connected with carbon. How does that fit into the cannondale world? PD: cannondale was one of the first companies to use carbon fiber in mountain bikes with the raven i and raven ii. they have tremendous experience with that material and probably have the best and most experienced testing lab worldwide. to have access to all this knowledge is great for us. by combining cannondale’s and our knowledge we will be able to bring some great bikes to the industry.

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ESD: Will you also do r&d work on cannondale’s aluminum frames? PD: We have lots of experience with aluminum. for example, we have built an aluminum road frame at 980 grams (2 pounds, 2.5 ounces) that is lighter than most current carbon frames. So it’s just logical to work together there as well.

topeak president Louis Chuang. © Jo BeCKenDorFF

“this folding mechanism provides riding, shuttling and storage utility positions,” said louis chuang, topeak’s president. “the Jango folding bike folds easily and can go from parking to rolling in only three seconds when walking to the train or elevator, or for parking next to your office desk,” Chuang said. “it takes at least as little as six seconds to go from riding mode to storage mode when it’s time to store it in your car trunk or in the home closet.”

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the Jango folder will be offered with derailleurs or internal hub shifting systems. according to adp general manager peter Schlitt, the patented folding mechanism also will be used by mercedes-benz.

bicycle business. We deal directly with outside customers such as mercedes-benz and others,” Schlitt said.

“topeak has the rights for this folding mechanism for the classic bicycle business. adp has the rights for all activities outside the

check out the new folding member at the Jango booth, which is next to ergon parent rti Sports, Jango’s exclusive german distributor.

ESD: What is your agreement with cannondale and how long is it for? How much of cannondale’s r&d will you be doing? PD: Our input depends on the project. from very little to quite a lot. ESD: cannondale’s parent company, dorel of canada, has formed an ibd product group called the cannondale Sports group (cSg) for the cannondale, gt, mongoose, and Schwinn bike brands and apparel maker Sugoi. are you working for cSg or only for the cannondale brand? PD: at the moment, only cannondale, but of course we are in contact with the other divisions as well. ESD: cannondale-europe has launched an interesting urban bike range targeting the european urban market. Will denk engineering also be involved in this product group? PD: the new 3-speed badboy, which looks like a single-speed bike, is already one of the most beautiful urban bikes on this planet. We will focus on other products.

11/09/2009 22:57:32

euroBiKe SHow DaiLy 0 | 0 SHow Day #2

John Chen, wellgo’s founder and general manager, with his daughter, Jennifer Chen, wellgo’s sales manager. © Jo BeCKenDorFF

WellgO’S NeW Quick releaSe SyStem WOrkS fOr pedalS For its 30th anniversary in 2010, Taiwanese pedal and bike shoe maker Wellgo is coming out with several innovations including the “Quick Release Device” (QRD), a removable pedal. “With this quick release pedal system, we are targeting mainly the growing folding and compact bike markets. but we believe that these easily detachable pedals make sense for other bicycle categories,” said John chen, Wellgo’s founder and general manager.

created in 2002, Xpedo is “100% produced in taiwan.” Wellgo operates two taiwan factories and recently consolidated a factory in Shenzhen, china, with one near Shanghai. “Our chinese factory concentrates on parts of our Oem production,” Jennifer chen said.

“Without pedals, bicycles are much easier to store in a limited space.”

in all, Wellgo produces about 10 million pairs of pedals every year. about 400,000 pairs are made in taiwan for the high-end market, and 90 percent of those are made in-house. “the paint job is outsourced to some nearby sub-contractors,” John chen said.

Sales manager Jennifer chen, John chen’s daughter, said her father worked on the Qrd system for two years, receiving a patent along the way, before he was satisfied that the system was ready for production. as part of the company’s 30th anniversary, Jennifer chen and her team developed new packaging for Wellgo and its Xpedo aftermarket brand.

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11/09/2009 22:58:03

SHow Day #2 0 | 0 euroBiKe SHow DaiLy

aSi breeZeS iNtO eurObike WitH fuJi, SiSter braNdS

ippei noda, general manager of Sr Suntour europe, says the company sells 60 percent of its suspension forks in europe. © Jo BeCKenDorFF

The Fuji brand, owned by the U.S. company Advanced Sports, Inc., has been a mainstay at Eurobike. But this year’s show visitors will finally get to meet the rest of the ASI family: Fuji’s sister brands Breezer, Kestrel, and SE. “this is the first time we’ve had more than fuji on display, and we’ll have a much bigger footprint than we’ve ever had before,” aSi president pat cunnane said. the expansion comes as aSi acquires its former german sales agent, twin Sport gmbH in mutlangen. twin Sport will be renamed aSi europe, cunnane said, and will allow aSi to offer direct distribution in germany and to stock inventory for its other european distributors. “the german market is incredibly important to our overall strategy for europe, and we want to be strong in germany,” cunnane said. “We believe that germany is a key influencing marketing in europe. it’s important for us to have a strong presence in this country.” kestrel and Se are niche brands—kestrel in the triathlon market, and Se in bmX and fixies. but aSi has bigger plans for the breezer brand, which it is bringing to europe for the first time. mountain biking pioneer Joe breeze, who once sold bikes under the breezer name, is working with aSi on the line and will attend eurobike. but mountain bikes are just part of the line-up for the new breezer line, cunnane said. “One of the reasons we purchased breezer was to get into the well-established trekking marketing in europe,” he said.

the top-of-the-line Fuji SSt road bike. © aSi

aSi has increased its breezer line from 10 to 34 models. apart from three mountain bike models, the bulk of the new additions are city and trekking bikes aimed squarely at the european market, said karen bliss, aSi’s marketing director.

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the Breezer thunder pro will be on display at the aSi booth. © aSi

“in the fuji line, which is our biggest line, we didn’t have any city/trekking bikes, and that’s a huge market over there,” bliss said. “So being a commuter and transportation-style bike, it made a lot of sense to introduce city and trekking bikes under the breezer brand. this will be the first foray into that market for us, so we’re pretty excited about it.” the breezer line also will include pedelec versions that use a transmission system designed by aSi’s manufacturing partner, the ideal bike co. of taiwan. ideal, taiwan’s No. 3 bike manufacturer, owns 17 percent of aSi and makes aSi’s bikes. cunnane said ideal europe, the company’s assembly plant in kutno, poland, also plays an important role in aSi europe’s growth plans. “they can ship bikes that pretty much have the handlebars turned and the pedals off, and they’re easy for a retailer to get on to the floor,” cunnane said. “We can’t do that in europe from taiwan.” because the polish plant is much closer to the european market, aSi can quickly turn around orders and respond to market conditions. at eurobike, aSi also will be showing its top-of-the-line fuji SSt 1.0 road bike, with a frame weighing just 985 grams (2 pounds, 3 ounces). the frame uses fuji’s “rib” carbon fiber technology, in which the tubes are reinforced with an internal “i-beam,” allowing the factory to use less carbon fiber overall.

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- Doug McClellan

Sr SuNtOur leadS tHe WOrld iN SuSpeNSiON fOrk maNufacturiNg People in the bicycle industry often think of Suntour as a name from the past—that Japanese company that once was the leader in derailleurs, but lost the market long ago to Shimano. Fair enough. But what a lot of industry people don’t know is that Suntour has remade itself. Today, it is the world’s largest manufacturer of suspension forks. the company is now known as Sr Suntour, reflecting the 1989 acquisition and consolidation by mori industries of Sakae ringo (the “Sr”) and maeda Suntour.

Sr Suntour also operates a factory in kunshan, china, near Shanghai, that makes mainly seatposts, drivetrain components and hub dynamos.

the company moved production from Japan to taiwan between 1991 and 1994, and since has staged a comeback. for example, Sr Suntour now manufactures the entire marzocchi fork and rear shock line, after marzocchi’s acquisition by u.S. company tenneco in august 2008.

“today, about 70 percent of our sales are from suspension forks and rear shocks,” said ippei Noda, general manager of the european Sr Suntour office in valley, germany.

Sr Suntour had been making some marzocchi forks, but tenneco shifted production of the entire marzocchi line to Sr Suntour factories in taiwan and china. for Sr Suntour, suspension fork production increased to 6.5 million units in 2008 from 5.6 million in 2007. High-end forks, including magnesium models, are made at the company’s factory in changhua, taiwan, while entry-level and mid-range models are made at its plant in Shenzhen, china.

the increase in business has also boosted Sr Suntour’s financial results. Sales zoomed to ˆ 96.8 million in 2008 ($137.2 million) from ˆ 35 million in 2003 ($50 million). the company now employs 1,215 people. Noda, who once was the only employee at Sr Suntour europe, now oversees a staff of 13. Seven of them work in the valley headquarters. “We had to expand due to yearly sales increases of 80 to 90 percent over the last four years,” Noda said. more than 60 percent of the company’s suspension fork products are sold in europe.

11/09/2009 22:58:20

euroBiKe SHow DaiLy 0 | 0 SHow Day #2

3 timeS tHe fuN fOr kidS! The Quadra byke is a new type of bike for children that can be easily transformed between four-, three- and two-wheeled designs. The Quadra byke can be quickly and easily changed from a quad to a trike to a bike to give greater play value for 3- to 6-year-olds. wheels. Not only does this give youngsters added play value, it also allows them to develop confidence and accommodates a degree of growth during those early years of 3 - 6 when they seem to be getting bigger by the day.

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parents can easily and speedily change the configuration of the wheels - no tools are necessary - to provide their youngster with a quad in the morning, a trike for the afternoon and a bike in the evening. Quadra byke conforms fully to european and u.S. safety standards. the unique axle system facilitates the use of highly efficient front and rear band brakes which not only enhance the visual appearance and play value, but they really work. Quadra byke’s wide wheels give extra stability and its robust construction resists the inevitable knocks and bangs.

On view at the stand of global Opportunities, the exclusive worldwide selling agency, the Quadra byke is the invention of tony Wayman, formerly a bicycle designer at raleigh. His Quadra byke is a stable four-wheeled toy, a tricycle and finally, that all-important two wheeler - all in one product.the secret lies in his unique patented multi-axle system that allows Quadra byke to be rapidly configured from two to three to four

available in fire red, kiss pink, Wave blue and ice blue, the Quadra byke is fitted with plastic wheels mounted with puncture proof eva custom tyres. a soft padded saddle tops an adjustable saddle pin and the different eye catching colour options give attractive options for boys and girls. the Quadra byke will retail at around ˆ 130 ($185).

rOckSHOX lyrik matureS iN 2010 The new RockShox Lyrik is 70 grams (2.5 ounces) lighter, due to an updated air assembly and a new specifically built Maxle Lite designed for All-Mountain and Freeride platforms. the already strong 160mm travel option is now joined by a new 170mm alternative. StanD no.

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the ride quality is the most substantial update with a re-valved mission control damper, giving one of the quickest and easiest climbing tools. bump performance has been improved with a slight change to the compression tune. for those who prefer the descent, the all-new mission control dH option is purely focussed on bump performance. choices of three damper, and four spring options, allows lyrik to tackle both climbs and descents, giving the best of both worlds.

- SM

miNg briNgS braNded e-bikeS tO market Ming Cycle’s headquarters was next to some vacant land, but no longer. In April, Ming broke ground on a $6 million (ˆ 4.2 million), 5,000-square-meter (53,800-square-foot) expansion that will house its e-bike factory. Along with a new factory comes a new brand strategy. “at the beginning of 2010, our customers can choose to have their own brand, or to buy bikes under the ming name,” said tai-Shan chang, president of ming cycle.

the new factory is also responsible for some further shifts inside the current ming cycle world. Strida production and warehouse will move into the new building.

It marks the first time that ming is entering the international aftermarket business, and is why the taiwanese exhibitor will be focusing on its ming-branded e-bikes at eurobike.

marc Saunders, the british designer who created the unusual Strida folding bike in 1987, recently gave ming a worldwide license for his innovation. “We sold a total of 15,000 Stridas in 2008, so we also need more space for this,” chang said.

“there’s a lot going on at our company,” said Sara tseng, ming’s sales manager. “all our e-bikes are made in taiwan. the e-bike kit comes from battery expert Sanyo and will be handled by Suntour.”

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A5/507Q tai-Shan Chang, president of Ming Cycle. © Jo BeCKenDorFF

11/09/2009 22:58:30

SHow Day #2 0 | 0 euroBiKe SHow DaiLy

acrobatic Jumps into trade Fair Lake

firSt eurObike lake Jump tHiS eveNiNg Don’t miss a spectacular event starting at 6 p.m. this evening: the first-ever Eurobike Lake Jump. Riders will fly off a ramp, set up by the West Entrance, and jump directly into Trade Fair Lake. the new event, with plenty of music and fun, will take a certain amount of courage and acrobatic ability on the part of the participants, who are bound to get wet!

ingo Brantl and indra Sakar, founders of 2Souls Cycles. © Jo BeCKenDorFF

through it all, the trade fair lake party should keep jumpers and spectators alike in good spirits. an award ceremony will take place at trade fair lake immediately after the finale.

Making a splash at 6 p.m. today. © MeSSe Fn

2SOulS duO are Happy 2be at eurObike As any exhibitor on the Eurobike waiting list can tell you, it isn’t easy getting a booth in this packed show. So Ingo Brantl and Indra Sakar, the founders and general managers of 2Souls Cycles, are breathing easier. They have made it into the show after a seemingly interminable wait. “We have been on the waiting list for three years and feel now extremely enthusiastic being part of this show,” brantl said.

“Next year’s show will be definitely larger. There’s a lot of interest after this year’s debut,” Sakar said.

“because of our small size it’s difficult for us to get exposure to a wider audience. eurobike is the first international platform where we can introduce ourselves.”

if you have any question about the european show, visit brantl and Sakar at the 2Souls cycles booth.

the two are less anonymous than they were a year ago. in addition to 2Souls cycles, a custom manufacturer in germany, brantl and Sakar organized the european Handmade bicycle expo, which debuted in may in their hometown of Schwäbisch gmünd, near Stuttgart. inspired by the North american Handmade bicycle Show, the european version attracted 69 exhibitors from 12 countries in its first year.

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“everyone is welcome. We continue to work on a platform for tiny european framebuilders that are still alive. all we need is some lobbying activities,” brantl said. “perhaps we can start an association that will work for small, custom producers like us.”

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11/09/2009 22:58:38

euroBiKe SHow DaiLy 0 | 0 SHow Day #2

Velotech.de tests a number of products at its headquarters in Schweinfurt. © Jo BeCKenDorFF

ernst Brust, general manager of Velotech.de Service Center for product Safety in Germany. © Jo BeCKenDorFF

erNSt bruSt: eu’S e-bike bOOm attractiNg fly-by-NigHt SupplierS Not long ago there were just a few e-bike suppliers in the market. This has changed dramatically. Because of the e-bike boom, nearly every bicycle supplier has added a model in its 2010 line. But the boom has also attracted less reputable suppliers who want to cash in as quickly as possible. This worries Ernst Brust, founder and general manager of the German bicycle testing laboratory Velotech. de GmbH, whose German name translates to “Service Center for Product Safety.” “these people don’t care about any of the regulations we have been working on in the european union,” writes brust, who is one of europe’s most-feared bicycle testers.

city bikes. the German version of the standard slightly increases requirements for the front fork and for electromagnetic compatibility.

ernSt BruSt’S View oF tHe e-BiKe MarKet:

i believe the european standard is an inadequate standard, and amounts to an invitation for suppliers to swamp the market with cheaply made products.

electrical assist bicycles, or pedelecs (for “pedal eLectric cycle) are nothing new. in my home country of Germany they have been around for a good 15 years. technical requirements in the european Union for pedelecs are simple: the motor can propel the rider up to 25 kilometers an hour (about 15 miles an hour). the upper limit of the engine’s output is 250 watts. the european standard, en 15194, is a minimum requirement for most basic

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there’s definitely enough down-market stock to go around. china produces more than 20 million e-bikes a year and exports approximately 500,000 of them. these “sit-up-and-pray” bikes could be sold as cheap as dirt in europe if importers did not attempt to make large profits on them. in switzerland, where the bicycle market is more upscale than the rest of europe, it’s hard to believe that cheap junk will find buyers there. in Germany, however,

consumers may be more open to low-priced pedelecs. but buyers beware: these cheap, pre-assembled bicycles (which means the customer takes the risk of inaccurate final assembly), offered without any servicing and at bargain prices, will likely cost buyers during their invariably short life. how much should consumers pay for a good quality e-bike? While it’s difficult to specify specific prices, a rough rule of thumb is that the battery and motor add 50 to 60 percent to the price of a similar non-motorized bicycle. pedelecs have breathed new life into the market for two-wheeled products. because there is not yet much of a second-hard market yet for pedelecs, the demand creates an attractive market. clearly this sort of heavy demand stirs suppliers who want to jump on the

wagon and don’t care about regulations or quality control. it’s an open door for manipulators. it’s almost impossible to evaluate the electronics that go into a pedelec, and many brands make far-fetched claims about the range and speeds that their products are capable of. haven’t we seen this before with 50 cc mopeds? that’s why i believe officials should conduct benchmark tests on pedelecs, similar to those on done on chinesemade toys, and publish the results. i very much hope the market will develop well for the industry, while sufficient regulations protect the legitimate producers and ensure a safe ride for consumers.

www.velotech.de

11/09/2009 22:58:50

SHow Day #2 0 | 0 euroBiKe SHow DaiLy

WitH 2 teSt trackS, eurObike aNd eXtraeNergy SpOtligHt e-bikeS With two TEST IT Tracks and a special exhibit covering the latest trends in electric mobility, Eurobike 2009 is focusing on pedelecs and e-bikes like never before. The Friedrichshafen show management, along with ExtraEnergy, are putting light electric vehicles (LEV) even more in the spotlight than they were last year. ExtraEnergy, a non-profit organization based in Tanna, Germany, is Europe’s leading independent source of tests and information on LEVs and components. this year’s show offers two teSt it tracks, where visitors can test ride the latest pedelecs and e-bikes from 75 international companies. this is almost five times as many companies as exhibited last year, and represents the lion’s share of brands that are available in europe. this is a fantastic opportunity for everyone to get a hands-on overview of what’s available in the market. One of the test tracks is located inside the Zeppelin hall, where visitors won’t get wet in case of rain. a new, second teSt it track sits at the center of the open area next to the brand-new east entrance to the eurobike convention center. a special exhibit close to the teSt it track in the east entrance area will show the latest trends in levs. the exhibit, open Wednesday through friday, will include many of the levs that were evaluated during extraenergy’s big 2009 test. visitors will also be able to see the results from all 28 tested models and can learn much more about e-bikes. the exhibit is in a prime location, where each of eurobike’s expected 50,000 visitors will pass at least once.

StanDarDS on DiSpLay the energybus organization, which is developing a standardized set of connectors and a communications protocol for lev components, is presenting pre-production models of these new connectors in the east entrance area. the models will include a charging connector as well as a plug to connect the battery, motor controller, and user interface inside the vehicle, and are among the most significant news from the lev field at eurobike.

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energybus supporters include some of the industry’s best-known bike and component manufacturers. also displaying at the east entrance is batSO, the battery Safety Organization. in cooperation with renowned testing organizations tuv rheinland, ul, and industrial technology research institute (itri) of taiwan, batSO will conduct battery safety tests for levs according to a new standard. Note that the lev east entrance exhibit will not be on display on Saturday, when this space will be dedicated to bicycle tourism. On friday morning, extraenergy officials will present the results of the 2009 pedelec and e-bike test.

2009 teSt reSuLtS extraenergy testers rode 28 pedelecs from 22 manufacturers, covering almost 13,000 kilometers (8,075 miles) in two weeks. almost all pedelecs survived the strenuous, three-stage test: an ergonomics test, test rides by several riders, and 10-day test rides using high-tech measuring equipment.

With 21 bikes rated “very good,” and two rated “good,” the test represents the upper end of the european e-bike market. New features of this year’s test were laboratory analyses. engineers at velotech.de in Schweinfurt, germany, tested the mechanical strength of all bikes in the test, while Slg prüf-und Zertifizierungs gmbH in chemnitz checked the bikes for their conformity with standards, paying special attention to their electronics. the results of the laboratory tests will be presented at eurobike for the first time. for the location and time of this presentation, see the eurobike program or visit http://www.extraenergy.org.

retaiLer traininG CourSeS the training institute iWm in erfurt and extraenergy are planning special e-bike training courses for bicycle retailers, which may be underwritten by the federal employment Office. for more information, see the eurobike program or www.extraenergy.org.

With all of this focus on electric mobility, eurobike 2009 may be not only the world’s largest bicycle show, but possibly the leading lev show in the West. extraenergy provides independent information and organizes exhibitions and promotional activities around the globe. major extraenergy activities include lev presentations at international trade fairs and exhibitions as well as the organization of seminars and press conferences. extraenergy is famous for its mobile teSt it track, which allows visitors at trade shows to ride and compare all kinds of electric two-wheelers from a variety of manufacturers. the track includes an inclined ramp so riders can test electric motors while going uphill.

aBout eXtraenerGy Offering its in-depth product and component testing since 1992, extraenergy has positioned itself as the independent, international authority for levs. it publishes a multilingual online magazine at www.extraenergy. org. edited by Susanne bruesch, the magazine is a gold mine of information for the industry, consumers and the media. at the headquarter in tanna, extraenergy hosts the world’s largest lev collection and a library of product information, photos and literature. in recent years, extraenergy has fostered the development of two industry standards: batSO for battery safety, and energybus, to standardize connections for electric lev components. founded by Hannes Neupert in 1993, the organization has more than 50 members and associate members.

ZEPPElin hAll

- Susanne Bruesch

11/09/2009 22:58:55

euroBiKe SHow DaiLy 0 | 0 SHow Day #2

cd cOmpONeNtS celebrateS lauNcH Of ‘OutStaNdiNg’ OStaNd acceSSOrieS braNd After becoming independent from the JD Group, parts maker CD Components Co., Ltd., is celebrating its Eurobike debut as a stand-alone company this year. CD is the parent company of the high-end Ostand accessories brand. “We wanted to become less dependent on the Jd group, and they wanted to concentrate on their young and successful tranzX e-bike business,” said alex yao, cd’s sales manager. “furthermore, without them we can offer our Oem and aftermarket services to a much wider international customer group.” the brand name Ostand stands for “outstanding,” yao said, adding, “We offer a fine accessories range of bottle cages, kickstands, racks and bells.” founded in 1991, cd components is headquartered in Shou Shui in taiwan’s changhua province and has a factory in china.

“When we were part of the Jd group, we were responsible for non-core bicycle parts, such as bottle cages, kickstands and racks. We want to continue with these product groups. that’s what we have done in the past and we are very experienced in these product categories,” yao said.

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alex yao, sales manager of CD Components and its new high-end accessory brand, ostand. © Jo BeCKenDorFF

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11/09/2009 22:59:02

SHow Day #2 0 | 0 euroBiKe SHow DaiLy

polish plant seeks long-term partnerships

ideal eurOpe: a decade Of cuStOmer Service frOm tHe ceNter Of eurOpe Since 1999, well-known bike suppliers have trusted Ideal Europe to produce their bikes for the European market. It offers flexible manufacturing and delivery options to many famous brands from its 8,000-square-meter (86,100-square-foot) factory in Poland. The main focus is on mid- to high-end city and trekking models.

iSL wheelbuilding. © toM KaVanaGH

internationaL reaCH ideal europe makes a lot of sense as a part of ideal’s international operations, according to andy lee, director of global operations for the taiwan-based parent group. it can deliver small lots in different colors and offers quick delivery. This flexibility is a big plus for customers, along with the factory’s location. “Our customers love to come here and watch how production is going, so it’s much easier for them to come here than to travel to, say, china,” matusiak said. labor costs have also remained relatively low in poland, so the cost advantage remains strong.

ideal europe assembly line. © toM KaVanaGH

Originally a joint venture with a polish car parts maker, ideal subsequently became sole owner of the operation. the factory employs 200 workers in kutno, a city of 50,000 people on poland’s main east-west highway. At first, Ideal Europe manufactured entry-level to mid-range bikes, but the company shifted its focus to mid- and high-end bikes during a reorganization in 2005-2006. city and trekking bikes now account for 80 percent of the factory’s output, with mountain bikes the remainder. much of the credit for the successful restructuring goes to center chou, who

european partS For european BiKeS The first stage of the assembly process is the careful inspection of incoming frames, 80 percent of which come from china and 20 percent from taiwan. Once these frames are quality checked and painted if necessary, they are placed on two assembly lines and fitted with parts, many of which are sourced from european suppliers.

for global brands, ideal lives up to its name. it can be an ideal Oem partner because it offers three plants, each strong in different areas. its taiwan headquarters factory, with a capacity of 450,000 units a year, specializes in high-end sport and full-suspension models; the dongguan, china, factory, with a capacity of 1.5 million a year, produces entry-level bikes; and ideal

europe is an expert in mid- to high-end city and trekking bikes. despite the difference in focus, andy lee says all of the factories produce bicycles to the same high standard. “customers with a range of needs can save time and effort by talking to a single manufacturer,” lee said. Want to find out more about Ideal europe? contact katarzyna matusiak at +48 24 253 71 38.

- tom Kavanagh

the plant can produce 500 bikes a day (700 when using 10-hour shifts). the wheelbuilding section can produce 1,000 wheels per day, using two iSl machines from Holland mechanics. diao says he is considering adding a third iSl. the plant’s primary customers include many well-known brands in the benelux countries, Scandinavia, germany and italy. matusiak said ideal likes to foster close relationships with many of its customers.

Kasia Matusiak, andy Lee and Simon Diao. © toM KaVanaGH

ran the plant as general manager from 2007 to 2009. He upgraded equipment and retrained personnel to handle the higher quality bicycles, according to katarzyna ‘kasia’ matusiak of the customer support department. Simon diao took over as general manager of the plant in february.

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for several years, ideal europe has produced fuji city and trekking bikes for the german market. fuji is the flagship brand of U.S. company advanced Sports, inc., which also owns the kestrel, Se racing and breezer brands. the latest result of the strategic partnership between ideal and aSi is the first European-made Breezer line (from the kutno factory), which is debuting at eurobike.

11/09/2009 22:59:09

euroBiKe SHow DaiLy 0 | 0 SHow Day #2

Market report: taiwan

taiWaN’S dOmeStic market takeS a breatHer after a bOOmiNg 2008 In 2008, the Taiwan domestic bicycle market experienced explosive growth, and there is much interest in its performance in 2009. But getting a handle on the market is difficult, because few statistics separate Taiwan’s domestic market from its large export production. to get a sense of the domestic market’s performance this year, eSd’s greg chang interviewed officials representing three segments of the industry: - John Ho, taiwan aiwan general manager for giant, iant, for a brand’s perspective; - vincent tsai, sai, general manager of vintage cycle, ycle, which represents louis garneau arneau and other brands, for an agent’s perspective; and - Sean Huang, owner of two stores through his koo chang co. ltd., for a retailer’s perspective. ESD: How did sales for the first two quarters of 2009 compare with the same period last year?

Vincent tsai, GM of Vintage Cycle, an agency that represents brands including Louis Garneau. © GreG CHanG

Tsai: the situation was fairly similar for both years, because sales in the first two quarters of 2008 had not reached their peak. in addition, dealers Sean Huang owns two bicycle underestimated the market. dealerships. © GreG CHanG We estimate sales will be stable for 2009.

John Ho is taiwan general manager for Giant. © GreG CHanG

huang: running out of stock is a problem that every bicycle shop faced in 2008, yet one shop still sold about 1,600 bicycles. in comparison, unit sales are down about 20 percent this year, but prices are up 10 percent. ESD: What is the difference between your 2009 forecast and your 2008 sales? ho: We sold 360,000 bicycles, including $10.6 million (ˆ 7.4 million) of accessories in 2008. there will be maybe a 10 percent decrease in the second half of 2009, so sales will probably drop to between 300,000 and 330,000 bicycles for the year. Tsai: We sold 14,000 bicycles in 2008 and estimate sales of 9,000 in 2009. this is relative to 5,800 bicycles in 2007. huang: We sold 3,000 in 2008, and estimated a drop of 1,000 bicycles for 2009. Our 2009 sales will be almost the same as three years ago. ESD: What is your general analysis of 2008 and 2009 sales?

ho: there was practically no difference. We sold about 170,000 bicycles, but with a 5 percent price increase in 2009.

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11/09/2009 22:59:25

SHow Day #2 0 | 0 euroBiKe SHow DaiLy

taiwanese families enjoy national Bike Day. ÂŠ GreG CHanG

ho: at the beginning of 2008, central taiwan residents were crazy about cycling. consumers were eager to buy bicycles because of anticipated price increases [from rising raw material prices]. this led to outof-stock conditions. However, the situation changed from October to february of this year because of the winter, the financial crisis, and layoffs.

a 10 percent price increase but a decrease in unit sales.

Tsai: taiwanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s market reached a peak in the autumn of 2008 followed by a slight decrease this spring.

Tsai: We have about 1,000 bicycles, which we believe is a reasonable amount. We would incrementally decrease our stock by adjusting our delivery phases.

in terms of bicycle sales per population, the taiwan bicycle market lags behind Hong kong or Singapore. We expect stable, incremental growth with a welldesigned cycling environment. huang: the beginning of the taiwan cycling boom was in 2008. folding bikes set the trend, and consumers gradually turned their eyes toward road bikes, which are better suited for the taipei metropolitan area. the number of bicycle shops burgeoned. for instance, the Neihu district [in the northeastern outskirts of Taipei] had only five bicycle shops three years ago. Now we have 30 bicycle shops. On average there is one bicycle shop for every 10,000 people. this high density is really a phenomenon. ESD: Which styles of bicycles have seen higher sales and which ones are falling? ho: entry-level and fullsuspension mountain bike sales have decreased. However, road bikes and folding bikes are still growing. Tsai: there has been a huge decrease in hardtail mountain bike sales. On the other hand, flat-bar road bikes, folding bikes, city bikes and accessories are all increasing. huang: thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a drop in mountain bike sales but a surge of road bike and flat-bar road bike sales. the consequence is

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ESD: How are inventories? ho: We have approximately 20,000 bicycles in inventory. the reason is that moving from an out-of-stock position to tight demand definitely increases the stock pressure. We need some time to cope with it.

huang: mountain bikes, particularly full-suspension models, are suffering the most stock pressure. for instance, we still have some September 2008 stock. ESD: What is your forecast for market developments and trends? ho: cycling is becoming a lifestyle. the majority of consumers are choosing entrylevel mountain bikes. before, most sales were sport-oriented. Nowadays, sales are transforming into recreational and folding bikes. We estimate that cyclists will eventually replace their folding bikes with a road bike or city bike. We are optimistic enough to set a goal for a 10 percent increase in sales. Tsai: the bicycle demand is nearly saturated now. it is the problem of supply and demand rather than price. We do not focus on specific bicycle categories. Each has its own strengths. besides, it is an opportunity to fortify brand popularity and educate consumers on the functions of different types of bicycles. huang: personally speaking, the road bike is the trend in the bicycle market. because the entry costs of road bikes are higher, it prevents the phenomenon of sudden mass popularity. for future development, the taiwan market needs constant promotion to stabilize what is still an immature market.

- Greg Chang

11/09/2009 22:59:35

euroBiKe SHow DaiLy 0 | 0 SHow Day #2

NeW prOductS 2010 StanD no.

FG-A7/2

merida O.NiNe carbON mtb With the O.Nine, Merida is introducing “the lightest serial production carbon hardtail MTB.” Why the name “O.nine”? The frame weighs a feather-light 0.9 kg - or, more exactly, 965 grams (2 pounds, 2 ounces) for an 18-inch frame. merida says it is also “the most comfortable hardtail frame” with the best stiffness-to-weight ratio for drivetrain. Merida’s O.Nine is definitely the hottest hardtail weapon with additional weight optimization options.

StanD no.

A2/302

SkiNS prO cycle JerSey Skins’ entry-level jersey matches all apparel items in the Skins range. A summer weight fabric offers great wicking and anti-microbial properties. the jersey has three rear pockets plus a zippered pocket for an mp3 player. although the jersey does not incorporate Skins’ bioaccelera-

tion compression, it is designed to work with a compression base layer. the colorway is black and white.

SaNyO eNterS e-bike market Most Eurobike visitors know Sanyo for its VCRs and hi-fis from the 1980s, and more recently for its solar energy systems and other energy and environmental products. Sanyo is the world’s No. 1 supplier of rechargeable batteries and has been a key supplier of electric bike parts and batteries for many years. StanD no.

Now, Sanyo is at eurobike to debut a new product line of motors, controllers and batteries that will be available for the european e-bike market beginning in 2010. in the bicycle industry, Sanyo’s strengths lay in its motor and controller technologies and e-bike batteries. these small electric motors and battery packs are discretely mounted on the bicycle. they help propel the rider with a force that constantly adjusts to the speed and resistance. as a result, riders barely break a sweat when cycling up a hill or while carrying a heavy load. the new range of Sanyo products will be on display at its eurobike stand, and engineers from Sanyo’s Japan factory will be on hand to demonstrate the technology and field questions from companies interested in using the technology. eurobike visitors also will be able to test ride a Sanyo e-bike. Named the “eneloop,” the bike is based on the battery of the same name, which uses the concept of recharge and reuse.

-ESD3 Mag CS3 001 FINAL.indd 32

B2/204

test riders of the “eneloop” bike will experience the system’s “loop charge function,” which both generates power and recharges the battery while in use. this function regulates the amount of pedal assist or braking depending on the incline of the road. the rear wheel is driven by the rider’s pedaling power, and the front wheel is supplemented by an electric motor. the resulting electric hybrid bike is designed to give the rider a safer, more stable ride. always keen to go a step further, Sanyo has developed a “park and charge Station” that is powered by Sanyo solar panels and lithium-ion batteries. by using clean energy as the energy source for charging, the station reduces dependency on carbon-dioxide-emitting fossil fuels to zero. the Solar powered park and charge station is on display at the Japan bicycle promotion institute stand.

11/09/2009 23:00:09

-ESD3 Mag CS3 001 FINAL.indd 33

11/09/2009 23:00:13

euroBiKe SHow DaiLy 0 | 0 SHow Day #2

NeW prOductS 2010 crOpS aNtareX SSX5 lamp

WellgO Qrd Quick releaSe device

This revolutionary lamp from Crops uses three bright white LEDs. Crops calls it a “hybrid” light because its batteries can be recharged by sunlight. A universal bracket allows tool-free mounting on almost any size of handlebar.

Wellgo’s new Quick Release Device for pedals is easy to use and maintain. The thread housing is combined with a new spindle design.

StanD no.

B2/502

the pedal can be removed or attached with a simple pull of the quick release mechanism. When the pedal is detached, the Qrd housing extends only 11 millimeters (0.4 inches) from the crank, compared to 60 millimeters (2.4 inches) for a standard folding pedal.

Sr SuNtOur SWiNg SHOck fOrk The Swing Shock fork integrates a suspension fork in the frame for a clean look on city, trekking and commuter bikes. compared to headshock systems, the Swing Shock can be retrofitted to fit most existing frames, yet at a weight of 1,300 grams (2 pounds, 14 ounces) it is only slightly heavier than a rigid fork.

the fork offers 25mm (1 inch) of travel, and the preload can be adjusted from the top.

the SSX5 is powered by four aaa rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (included) or regular alkaline batteries. the light runs for 45 hours in constant mode or 80 hours in flashing mode.

StanD no.

A7/408

daHON bOOSt fOldiNg bike The Dahon Boost combines the portable convenience of a Dahon folding bike with the riding ease of a highly refined pedal assist bicycle. Sophisticated motor and torque sensors add power in proportion to the force the rider applies to the pedals and a 3×3 gearing system allows for nine riding modes, ensuring the boost can easily meet power assist requirements of every rider.

even fully equipped, the boost weighs 19.6 kg (43 lbs), making it one of the lightest electric bikes on the market. unlike many electric bicycles, the boost rides just like a standard bike with the electric drive system turned off.

StanD no.

B4/501

StanD no.

B5/103

-ESD3 Mag CS3 001 FINAL.indd 34

11/09/2009 23:00:35

SHow Day #2 0 | 0 euroBiKe SHow DaiLy

taya cHaiN Small rOll

Sigma bc 2209 mHr bike cOmputer

Running short on chains? Seeing sections of chain wasted on the workshop floor? Tayaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 30-meter roll chain pack is the ideal solution.

In addition to the proven time and bike features typical of Sigma Sport computers, the BC 2209 MHR also boasts an altimeter, ECG-exact heart rate functions and a thermometer.

StanD no.

A5-200

thanks to the included wristband, the bc 2209 mHr can also be used as a hiking computer.

thirty sets of taya-patented Sigma Quick link are also provided with each roll to help you provide the best and most efficient service to your customers.

StanD no.

B4/509

ScHWalbe mar atHON dureme tire The new Dureme epitomizes longevity and durability. Schwalbe has now filled the gap in its Marathon Evolution Line tires with a versatile tire for enthusiastic everyday and touring cyclists. its 3-compound tread with Nano particles combines seemingly unattainable performance of grip, easy rolling and long life. the 3 mixtures are arranged in such a way to work in harmony: grip on the shoulders, durability in the center tread and under this an extremely light rolling compound.

StanD no.

A5/300

-ESD3 Mag CS3 001 FINAL.indd 35

11/09/2009 23:00:46

euroBiKe SHow DaiLy 0 | 0 SHow Day #2

NeW prOductS 2010 NecO iNtegrated tapered HeadSet This headset tapers from a 1.5-inch headtube to 1-1/8 inch fork steerer.

kettler layaNa fuN ladieS bike The new Layana Fun is fashionable and trendy, while offering high quality components. The Layana Fun targets active, fashion-conscious women who need a bike for shopping and for getting around the city.

anodized color with a 25-mm carbon top cover, 7075/t6 6 crown race and acb sealed bearing.

StanD no.

B5/307

the stylish color scheme incorporates the smallest details, such as the crank and chainguard. the bike comes with a matching lifestyle bag. Suggested retail price: ˆ 799 ($1,130).

StanD no.

B2/405-22

Super b cHaiN rivet ivet eXtractOr Super B’s chain rivet extractor is for 8-, 9and 10-speed chains.

StanD no.

A7/414

the design has been patented in the uSa, germany, and taiwan.

trigON cWt88 WHeelS vittOria rubiNO prO race tire

StanD no.

A1/407

StanD no.

A7/314

Vittoria sets a new benchmark for race tires with the Rubino Pro, offering a casing with 150 threads per inch (up from 120 tpi).

the pSr1420 Stainless Steel spokes are titanium treated while the nipples are t73 alloy. lacing is done by hand in a 20/24H pattern.

the high-mileage rubino pro has been torture-tested in the race across america and other endurance tests. flashy new colors include lime green, dutch orange, honey and white. Weight starts at 205 grams (7 ounces), with cross-sections from 20 to 28 millimeters. also available in a slick tread.

miNg HeliOS pedelec The Helios is a pedelec with a men’s alloy frame and 28-inch wheels.

it’s powered by a Sanyo e-bike system and features a Shimano Nexus inter-7/8 gearing system. StanD no.

A5-507Q

-ESD3 Mag CS3 001 FINAL.indd 36

With a 88mm full carbon tubular rim, these wheels weigh 1680g (580g only for ring).

OStaNd bOttle ttle cage HOlder lder Ostand, the premium brand of Taiwanese bicycle accessory maker C.D. Components, offers an alloy bottle cage holder that can be mounted in seconds on the saddle rail.

StanD no.

B4-110

11/09/2009 23:01:09

SHow Day #2 0 | 0 euroBiKe SHow DaiLy

WiNOra gOeS tO tOWN WitH deSigN Of tOWN:e e-bike Winora, the German bicycle group, is striving to draw younger consumers to the e-bike market with the town:e, an electric bicycle with a slick design and striking colors.

StanD no.

B5/200

“it could be described as a compact city scooter, to be positioned as a lifestyle product,” said puello. first deliveries are scheduled for next spring, with a recommended retail price of ˆ 1,999 for the launch. it will be offered to retailers in all the markets where Winora is most strongly established, from germany to austria, france, the czech republic and poland.

“With this product we want to introduce electric bicycles to new groups of consumers,” said Susanne puello, managing director of the Winora group, which belongs to accell of the Netherlands. “the design and the urban aspect of the bicycle will appeal to younger buyers and enable us to explore a fresh market potential.” the town:e distinguishes itself with its compact design, with colors ranging from white to bright orange, turquoise blue and yellow. The bicycle is fitted with a battery which is placed behind the saddle. it may be locked and easily taken off the bicycle. furthermore, the Winora model is equipped with a turbo boost to provide extra power, which may be activated by simply pressing a button on the handlebar.

Humpert: N eW Strategy, NeW braNd Name German parts maker Wilhelm Humpert GmbH & Co. KG is exhibiting under a new company image. product manager rolf Häcker. © BernarD wroBeL

“We want to put the Humpert company name a bit in the background so that our brand names are in the spotlight,” explains product manager rolf Häcker. the ergotec brand is changing to ‘X-act’ for city and trekking bike parts. as the new brand name suggests, ergonomic features are important for these mobility bike parts. Humpert’s Xtasy brand continues for high-end mountainbike parts. StanD no.

A7/500

-ESD3 Mag CS3 001 FINAL.indd 37

11/09/2009 23:01:25

euroBiKe SHow DaiLy 0 | 0 SHow Day #2

rOtWild makeS freSH Start WitH 2010 rOad, mtb mOdelS German R&D design house ADP Engineering GmbH is reviving its Rotwild private bike brand. “in recent years we have concentrated on several projects for our industry partners, so we had no time for our own private-label rotwild,” said peter Schlitt, general manager of adp. but 2009 is a different story. “it’s not only a complete redesign for the brand and its logo but also new technical frame and chassis innovations within our mountain bike category,” he said.

rotwild offers five series in its mountain bike line: racing, crosscountry, all-mountain, enduro and extreme. Joining the line are two road bike models. Schlitt said rotwild is essentially making a fresh start with the 2010 bike collection and is planning further line extensions into other categories.

for rotwild, götz described his new job as “concentrating on product lines and pricing, sales and ibd support as well as communication and media technology.”

to push rotwild sales in the ibd market, the company has hired industry veteran Stefan götz, a former marketing manager for Specialized. as director of business development

“adp has partnerships within our industry with international players such as topeak, as well as outside the industry with, for example, mercedesbenz,” götz said.

-ESD3 Mag CS3 001 FINAL.indd 38

götz said he was most interested in adp’s background in research and development.

cOrratec applieS tHe 29er idea tO cOmmutiNg bikeS Are 29ers just a North American fad? Not according to Konrad Irlbacher, founder and general manager of Corratec. after launching a 29-inch trekking bike last year, iko-corratec is expanding its line of commuting bikes that are built on 29-inch wheels. unlike the trendy, off-road big-wheelers that make up the North american 29er market, corratec’s models are designed strictly for pavement. “the major benefit of 29ers is their riding smoothness. therefore we believe in the advantage of 29-inch wheels for commuting bikes rather than for the off-road segment,” irlbacher said. “29ers on paved roads offer easy riding without resistance. Who wants to do narrow turns on a curvy single-track trail with a 29er? they are too bulky.” New in the corratec 29er line-up are a cross and surf models.

the cross bikes are what the german market sometimes refers to as fitness or wellness bikes, while the surf model is a cruiser that’s been pumped up to fit the larger wheels. Other brands have had mixed results. trek, for instance, has temporarily removed the gary fisher line from the german-speaking market which has focused primarily on 29ers.

11/09/2009 23:01:31

SHow Day #2 0 | 0 euroBiKe SHow DaiLy

caStelli ‘bOdy paiNt’ SHOrtS: ‘SOfteSt tHiNg SiNce diaperS’ Naked is always a good ploy for attracting eyeballs at Eurobike. For many years the Czech bike company Kelly's has used body-paint models to grab attention.

Jensen claims this pad is so soft that a rider need not slather on any chamois cream to the nether regions. the italian company goes further, claiming the body paint pad will be “the softest thing to touch your private parts since you got out of diapers.”

- Cr be thankful castelli didn't pull the same trick. it has a new svelte short that it calls body paint because it feels like it's, you know, painted on. the seat, crotch and legs are made from a single piece of fabric, eliminating all but one seam. the seam is placed on the front of the short, away from a saddle contact point.

tHe ‘cHarge armS’ ServeS bikeS iNStead Of bitterS

Soren Jensen, castelli's global communications manager, said the shorts are made from just five components, demonstrating with a cut-up pair of shorts in a seethrough, double-sided panel. four years in development, the body paint shorts are made from ultra-thin compression power Stretch lycra fabric. it uses a new seat-pad, the progetto X2, which combines a soft, stretchy, seamless, bacteriostatic, next-to-skin layer to prevent chafing.

Cult bike company Charge is making a name for itself as a brand that likes to put on a show at trade expos. Last year at Eurobike, the U.K. company's stand was a launderette, paint-distressed to make it look as grotty as possible.

StanD no.

A4/503

elite celebrateS 30 yearS Of cageS, bOttleS aNd traiNerS the aluminum thermal bottle is being given away to clients, customers and friends, said alessio Sartore, elite’s communications director. the company made 4,000 pieces, but none are for sale. When two bottles are placed side by side, the “30” takes the shape of a stylized bicycle.

The Italian manufacturer of cages, water bottles and home trainers is marking its foundation in 1979 with a black promotional bottle, inscribed with “30” in red.

-ESD3 Mag CS3 001 FINAL.indd 39

the bottle also features images of two industrial chimneys in a nod towards elite’s renovated factory, an old furnace whose prominent chimney serves as a landmark for the company. “We're very proud of our factory,” Sartore said. “it's a wonderful place to work.”

- Cr StanD no.

A4/503

this year, charge is rocking friedrichshafen with a traditional english pub. the “charge arms” is so traditional that it has cobwebs on the fascia and stained and grubby curtains. charge is run by designer Nick larsen and owned by Hot Wheels, the gt and mongoose importer in the uk. the pub theme came about because charge has produced a giveaway charge ale for promotional use. However, there's no tapand-spile–or beer-splattered bar–inside the pub. instead, there are bikes, components and charge's new clothing brand, Surface. this is lifestyle apparel, with tight black jeans and bike-specific jackets all made from quick-drying, breathable, synthetic materials. to date, charge has been known for its bikes, especially fixies, which are at the cutting edge of colorways, graphic design and street fashion. Hot Wheels founded charge in November 2004. larsen had previously worked with the bournemouth, britain-based Hot Wheels on its

gt and mongoose team. He also spent six years at pashley, in bradford-on-avon, where he was responsible for its entry into the trials bike scene. as befits a cult brand, charge’s products are not always available. “We’ve always had a lack of stock,” larsen admitted. “We’ve always sold out.” When stock is available, it’s snapped up—and not just by bike enthusiasts. “a lot of people attracted to charge aren’t cyclists to start off with. the plug [a fixed wheel bike] sold well to snowboarders and skateboarders, but not cyclists per se. We pushed lots of new customers to bike shops,” larsen said. charge is distributed in australia, the united States, the uk, germany, Switzerland, Spain and taiwan. it’s also big in Japan. On his twitter feed, larsen wrote: “a Japanese fashion mag wants me to choose my favourite breitling watch for a feature.” Now, that’s cult. bottoms up!

- Cr

11/09/2009 23:01:40

euroBiKe SHow DaiLy 0 | 0 SHow Day #2

Black & white is the new black at pearl izumi.

Scott's rodeo-themed line.

FaSHion SHow 2009 iMpreSSionS

photos by anJa KoHLer

no, white is the new black ...

-ESD3 Mag CS3 001 FINAL.indd 40

iXS Sports Design: funky graphics, casual style.

Softer colors from Craft.

11/09/2009 23:02:08

-themed line.

SHow Day #2 0 | 0 euroBiKe SHow DaiLy

bikeWear treNdS: ligHter ter & tigHter Cycling apparel suppliers are increasingly catering to the demands of leisure cyclists and daily commuters, offering an improved mix of functions and style. The stands in this year’s apparel hall feature wider ranges of garments using the latest fabrics, but with an urban appearance. vaude, the german outdoor brand, is among the companies that have moved into that business. “in our view the trend is going towards technical clothing with a comfortable fit, and with a look that is acceptable in a restaurant,” said Jan lorch, international sales manager at vaude. “Some of our cycling apparel could even be worn in the office, as growing numbers of people cycle to work.” When it comes to performance apparel, suppliers are continuing to work on lighter garments. for example, the novelty at craft is the elite attack bib, featuring ultra-thin braces and patches of mesh in spots that are most exposed to sweat. another strong point of this product is that the seams are welded. the padding is made with a carbon fiber and an irregular fabric construction, to make sure that there is always some

air between the saddle and the seat of the pants. it comes in three different sizes, and the density of the padding is adjusted for each of them. along the same lines, Ziener has come up with what it describes as a burnthrough technique, to make the fabric of its garments lighter in some areas. “there’s no piping, no cutting, no nothing,” said frank burig, managing director at Ziener. “We just use our usual fabric for the main part of the garment, and have found a way to burn out some components so that it gets thinner in sweaty portions.” after a timid entry in the last years, compression garments are storming the cycling apparel business. compression is ubiquitous this year, offered by some of the largest brands, such as Shimano, as well as specialized suppliers.

While X-bionic has made a big splash with compression garments in the cycling market, a prominent specialist is Skins, which has recently appointed a manager dedicated to cycling. “for many years, cyclists have concentrated on equipment, and now they’re catching up on the clothing side,” said christian Scheffold, regional manager for germanspeaking countries and italy at Skins. “Without a doubt, this is the fastestgrowing category in the cycling apparel business. in fact, cycling might well be the sport for which compression is the most interesting, particularly with regards to recovery pants.”

- Barbara Smit

rs from Craft.

-ESD3 Mag CS3 001 FINAL.indd 41

11/09/2009 23:02:24

euroBiKe SHow DaiLy 0 | 0 SHow Day #2

erik zabel @ rudy project.

-ESD3 Mag CS3 001 FINAL.indd 42

11/09/2009 23:02:51

SHow Day #2 0 | 0 euroBiKe SHow DaiLy

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ContriButorS to euroBiKe SHow DaiLy 09 ...

37 airace/Giyo

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Bike Brno

25 Biketec 38 BMD 40 BMD

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29 Smart Co.

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42 Chiih Chin neco 10 Crops/antarex

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07 Dahon

SraM

30 Sr Suntour 03 Stevens

04 Storck Bicycle 09 Sugoi

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44 Giant

26 Great Go/trigon 41

ideal europe

Kind Shock

08 KtM

19 Merida-Centurion (MCG) 01 Messingschlager

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Ming Cycle

27 Sunny wheel

43 taipei Cycle Show 02 taitra

21 taya Chains 23 tektro 11

tranzX

28 Velo

31 Vittoria

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wellgo

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